News

salon gallery

PAFA Announces Museum Reopening Plan

PAFA announces a planned public reopening date for the Museum. Learn more about our revised hours of operation, in addition to the preventative measures designed to protect the health and safety of our guests and staff.
HLB wall texture

An Apology and a Commitment to the PAFA Community

President & CEO, Dr. David R. Brigham, follows up on his June 20 message to the PAFA community.
exterior view of PAFA campus

A Message from PAFA President & CEO Dr. David R. Brigham

PAFA President & CEO, Dr. David R. Brigham, writes to address the concerns expressed by some members of our PAFA community, which were outlined in a news article published by Billy Penn.
Broad Street at night

PAFA Appoints New Chief Development Officer & Senior Vice President

PAFA is pleased to announce the appointment of Jane Allsopp as Chief Development Officer and Senior Vice President. In this role, Jane will develop and lead PAFA's comprehensive fundraising initiatives, working with senior staff, the Board of Trustees, and the development team to ensure the long…
Press Release
installation view of "from the schuylkill to the hudson"

PAFA Receives $2M Gift to Endow and Name Museum Curatorial Position

PAFA is the recipient of a gift totaling $2 million from National Trustee Ken Woodcock. This generous gift will endow the museum's Curator of Historical American Art position, which will henceforth be named The Kenneth R. Woodcock Curator of Historical American Art. This position is currently held…
Press Release
Hank Willis Thomas, "All Power to All People" (2017)

PAFA's Senior Staff and Belonging Task Force: A Message to Our Community

As a community of artists, students, educators, administrators, scholars, and citizens, we at PAFA are united in our grief and outrage over the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other Black Americans whose lives continue to be cut short by brutal acts of racial…
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New York Times | Taking Lessons From a Bloody Masterpiece

Explore every nook and cranny of the landmark 1875 painting by Thomas Eakins, "The Gross Clinic," with the New York Times's Jason Farago, and gain insight into its details and the significance they hold.
In the News
summer art camp

Good Housekeeping | 30 Best Virtual Summer Camp Ideas

Good Housekeeping lists PAFA's Summer Art Camp for Kids as a top pick for online summer camps this season.
In the News
2020 digital yearbook cover

2020 PAFA Digital Yearbook

To commemorate their time at PAFA, the graduating class of 2020 has put together a digital yearbook with the assistance of the Student Services department.
summer academy students

Public Programs and Classes Move Online for Summer 2020

PAFA has announced that its summer programming for 2020, including its Continuing Education, Summer Art Camp for Kids, and Teen and Pre-College Programs, will be conducted online through virtual learning platforms.
Press Release
webby award

PAFA Website Wins A 2020 Webby Award

The PAFA website has won a 2020 Webby Award for "Best School/University" project for its 2019 website redesign. Established in 1996, the Webby Awards are the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet.
student services staff wishes the class of 2020 congratulations

Congratulations to the Class of 2020

Clint Jukkala, Dean of the School of the Fine Arts at PAFA, extends his congratulations to the graduating class of 2020 with the help of our faculty, staff, and alumni. 

About PAFA

Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the United States’ first school and museum of fine arts. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, PAFA offers a world-class collection of American art, innovative exhibitions of historic and contemporary American art, and educational opportunities in the fine arts. The PAFA Museum aims to tell America's diverse story through art, expanding who has been included in the canon of art history through its collections, exhibitions, and public programs, while classes educate artists and appreciators with a deep understanding of traditions and the ability to challenge conventions. PAFA’s esteemed alumni include Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.